Small is Beautiful

Published on December 01, 2004.

Does anyone in Gen Z wear Lee? Whatever the case, Buddy Lee bravely soldiers on, this time in a piece of ambitious interactive marketing in which three episodes of something called "Buddy Lee, Guidance Counselor" are embedded in an MTV2 program where viewers get to vote on what the next video will be. Like, Nas, Em or Nelly, call now! As if that weren't sufficiently exciting, viewers also get to vote on which career course kids who are seeking advice from Buddy-remember, though a mute, he's a guidance counselor-will take. In the first episode, some of Buddy's past jobs are recounted, in which he's forcibly removed from a drain by a plumber; rammed through a mailbox while he tries to walk a big dog; and set aflame while he stalls during a firewalk. As if this wasn't disquieting enough, we've discovered that Buddy, seen in extreme closeup, looks like he was remade by the Queer Eye for the Doll Guy team.